Ezidis celebrate one of their most sacred religious festivals

Ezidis gathered at Lalish Temple on Saturday October 6, to celebrate one of their most important religious festivals called Jamayi, referred to as ziyaret, “the pilgrimage”. for the first time since ISIS militants attacked the Ezidi populated town of Shingal in 2014.

The Gathering and Feast of Seven Days lasts seven days between( 6-13) October. It is a sacred time when all Ezidis attempt to make the pilgrimage to Lalish in order to unite as one people at their holiest shrine.

“I have been at Lalish Temple with my family since yesterday to attend the gathering and take part in the rituals”, an Ezidi man who lives in an IDPs camp near Duhok told KirkukNow.

The temple is located in a valley near the town of Sheikhan, 60 km northwest of Mosul, Ninawa province.

Karim Suleiman, advisor to the Ezidi Spiritual Council explained that “the Jamayi religious festival dates back to more on thousand years ago.”

The two most important events of the Feast of Seven Days are the Evening Dance and the Sacrifice of the Bull. The Evening Dance is performed by religious dignitaries every evening just after sunset in the court of the Sanctuary.

Meanwhile, The Sacrifice of the Bull takes place on the 5th day of the week-long event. It signals the arrival of Fall and carries with it the Ezidis’ prayers for rain during the coming winter and a bountiful Spring.

During the week there are also continual baptisms of children and holy objects in the water of the White Spring.

Ezidis were the victims of massacres and mass abductions carried out by ISIS terrorist group after they overrun Shingal and other parts of Ninawa province in 2014.